YouTube Rolls Out New Parental Controls: Bedtime Breaks, Age-Related Content & Shorts Limits

• YouTube introduces new parental controls in January 2026 to protect children, focusing on screen time and age-appropriate content.
• Parents can now set specific time limits for Shorts, including setting the timer to zero, an industry-first feature.
• New tools include 'bedtime breaks' to help curtail children's screen viewing time on the platform.
• The sign-in process for kids' accounts is being updated, allowing easier switching between main and kid accounts in the mobile app.
• WhatsApp is also developing similar parental control features to protect kids from unwanted messages and scams, allowing parents to manage secondary accounts.

Why It Matters: YouTube and WhatsApp are enhancing parental controls to help manage children's screen time and online safety.